Nomination for Harvard Avenue Fire Station

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FHR-8-300(11-78) United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries - complete applicable sections 1. Name FOr HCRS WBARNIZ MAR received date entered 1983 historic Harvard Avenue Fire Station and/or common 2. Location Same street & number 16 Harvard Avenue N/A not for publication Boston city, town N/Avicinity of congressional district 8th state Massachusetts 3. Classification code 025 county Suffolk code 025 Category _ district X building(s) .structure site _ object Ownership public X private both N/yblic Acquisition in process .

being considered Status - occupied unoccupied X work in progress Açcessible yes: restricted yes: unrestricted no Present Use - agriculture X commercial educational _ entertainment government industrial military .museum - park - private residence _ religious scientific transportation other: 4. Owner of Property name Fidelity Guarantee Mortgage Corporation street & number 14 Newbury Street city, town Boston N/A vicinity of 5. Location of Legal Description state Massachusetts courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Suffolk County Registry of Deeds street & number Pemberton Square Boston city, town Massachusetts state 6. Representation in Existing Surveys IllInventory of Historic Assets of has this property been determined elegible? the Commonwealth date July 1978 federal - state - yes * no county _ local depository for survey records Massachusetts Historical Commission Boston Mass.

02108 city, town state 7. Description Harvard Ave. Fire Station, 16 Harvard Ave., Boston, MA Condition _ excellent x good _ fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one _ unaltered -x altered Check one X original site moved date N/A Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

The Harvard Avenue Fire Station is located on the east side of Harvard Avenue near its intersection with Cambridge Street in the Allston neighborhood of Boston. It is a classically inspired brick building designed by City Architect H.H. Atwood and constructed by R.R. Mayers & Co. ca.1891 for the City of Boston. Ihe elongated rectangular two-story building is located slightly off-center on its 6,112 square foot lot. A driveway to the south leads to a one-story brick addition, with its early hinged wooden doors, which extends off the southeasterly rear corner of the building. The third floor is lit by dormers in the slate-clad hipped-roof which is surmounted by a monitor. The piers and segmental arches of brick with keystones and impost blocks of limestone support the brick second floor front which is pierced by three rectangular window openings with flat-arched brick lintels.

A rectangular triple sash in the hip-roofed dormer of the third floor completes the fenestration pattern. The interior above the first floor including the stairway with turned balusters and matched-board partitions remains largely intact. The firemen's lockers, dormitories, offices, eto. survive relatively little altered with only the slide-poles missing, although the floor openings and much of the associated hardware remain. The relatively minor utilitarian changes to the steam-heated building include garage-type overhead front doors and a rebuilt first-floor reinforced concrete slab installed ca.1946-7 when the related plumbing and electrical systems were upgraded. In general, the fire station is a well-preserved survivor of the era of horse-drawn fire equipment, adapted to serve the age of motor vehicles.

The fire station's Roman-yellow brick and limestone trim with classical decorative motifs are representative of a civic style which flourished around the turn of the century. It is a substantially constructed building with notable masonry details such as the twin- arched openings oi the first-iloor front, the corner pilasters anc consoles, and the modillion cornice and frieze with egg-and-dart It also has fine copper detail work in the leader box design and elsewhere which enhances its authentic historic appearance. FHR-8-300A (11/78) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTOR Y -- NOMINATION FORM Harvard Avenue Fire Station 16 Harvard Avenue CONTSNUATIONSHEET ITEM NUMBER FOR HCRS USE ONLY RECEIVED DATE ENTERED 6 PAGE 6.

Representation in Existing Surveys: 2) Comprehensive Boston Preservation Survey, July 1976 Boston Landmarks Commission Boston, MA. 02201 8.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Significance Harvard Ave. Fire Station, 16 Harvard Ave., Boston, MA Period prehistoric 1400-1499 1500-1599 1600-1699 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 1900 Areas of SignificanceCheck and justify below archeology-prehistoric X community planning archeology-historic conservation agriculture economics _ architecture education art engineering commerce exploration/settlement communications industry invention landscape architecture law literature military music philosophy - politics/government - religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific dates 1891 Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Harrison H. Atwood The Harvard Avenue Fire Station possesses integrity of location, design, materials, and workmanship. It is significant as a fine example of the classically inspired civic architecture of the late nineteenth century and is a unique example of its type in the Allston area. Additionally, it is an example of the work of an important City Architect, Harrison H. Atwood, and is significant for its role in community development. It thus meets criteria A and C of-the National Register of Historie Places.

The Harvard Avenue Fire Station's significance is not only in its fine architectural quality and association with a prominent member of the profession, but also in the fact that it is one of the last of fiiteen surviving City Fire Stations of the nineteenth century designed for the accomodation of horse drawn equipment given the highest evaluations in Boston Landmarks Commission surveys. It is described in the 1978 Inventory of Historic Assets of the Common- wealth as a "solidly constructed municipal building with fine detailing". Considered "one of several important buildings near the intersection of Harvard Avenue and Cambridge Street (including Allston Depot, Chester Block, & Allston Hall Block)", "a high state of preservation" is also cited by the Inventory as among reasons for its significance.

As part of the body of important municipal design work by City Architect Harrison Henry Atwood, the firehouse gains further importance, Atwood, who was Boston City Architect from 1889-91, went to Charlestown Schools, studied law, and practised architecture with F.J.F.Thayer and George A. Clough, Boston's first City Architect. Atwood was also a member of the lower house of legislature, 8th Suffolk District, in 1887-89. Among his works in Boston are several termed"Significant" in Boston Landmarks Commission Surveys and other sources listing numerous schools, among which are: The Bowditch School in Jamaica flain, Roxbury High School, and Horace Mann School; firehouses in East Boston, Jamaica Plain, and Brighton; the Municipal Building in Roslindale, East Boston District Court; and numerous houses in Dorchester and elsewhere including his own at 61 Alban Street in Ashmont.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References 1. Boston Building Department Records; Boston Public Library Fine Arts Dept. Built in Boston, City & Suburb,Tucci, (Boston: N.Y. Graphic Society, 1978). 3. Boston of Today, Herndon, Richard, (Boston:1892) pp. 130-31. 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property less than one Quadrangle name Newton UMT References * 3/24/3140 Zone Easting 416/91 2120 Northing Quadrangle scale1:25,000 1,Lil Easting D EL1 G 1 LIILLL LIL 1lILI Northing LILLLL LIILLL Verbal boundary description and justification The nominated property includes only the lot on which the building stands; it is described in Boston Assessor's records as parcel 674 of Ward 21 and is shown on map 25 N -6 E List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries state N/A code county code state code county code 11.

Form Prepared By name/title organization Candace Jenkins,Registration Director Massachusetts Historical Commissiodate by Frederic C. Detwiller & Boston Landmarks Commision 5 August 1982 street & number 294 Washington Street telephone (617) 727-8470 city or town Boston, state Massachusetts 02108 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: _ national - state X local As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89- 665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth bythe Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.

State Historic Preservation Officer signature Fatun LWeslowsk title State Historic Preservation Officer, MHC date 2/24/83 For HCRS use only I hereby certify that this propertyisincluded tethedNatjonal Register Delaesßyen National Begister ) Keeper of the National Register Attest: Chief of Registration date /31/83 date GPO 938 835 HAY ILTON WA WALL STREET WAL THOR TERRACE STREET CAMBRIDGE PARKYNG PARKING WALL PARKING HARVARD TERRACE WALL STREET HARVARD ) AVENUE FIRE STATION 16 Harvard Avenue, Boston, MA 1"=100' WALLS FIRE STATION (#16) HIGHGATE 3' HARVARD ST. HARVARD STREET HIGHGATE STREET FARRINGTON M. B.T.A. WALL * greofons to, in Twaringts Truste Clorenco Sleve Woyne yneiFronre France F8D Tristeo!!y "Trust 60.00 Lity Firehouse -6,112. Basión Eng Sq Ft.. heomatle Por! AVE FARRINGTON HARVARD 290 20 AVE.

I certify mar conformance mis with of the NOOrSITO pron 10s the ruies and nrepeporens regulatione eeds for Suffele County. Pran showing lond belanging to the Boston. (Fire Dept.) City of a. j. sae (K793b o - Retet = Ridye Traceo a Geri.L. Amnna CITY OF BOSTOM "ENGINEERINISIOMKS DEPARTBENT HARVARD BRIGHTON AVE. FEB. 17, 1976 SCALE - p IATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES nited States Dopart nonl of lhe Inderie ational Park Service Harvard Avenue Fire Station Suffolk County MASSACHUSETTS EVALUATION / RETURN SHEE1 resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviower's comments: Working No. MAR 2 1983 Fed. Reg. Dato: 2-7-84 Dato Due: 3/31/83- H16/83 Action: - ACCEPT_3/ 31/8 Entered in the - RETURN National Register REJECT.

Federal Agency: - - sample - request - appeal - NR decision Recom./Criteria - Reviewer_ Discipline_ Date -see continuation sheet technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below -Nomination returned for: 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Present Uee 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Représentation in Existing Surveys is proporty toon detamahed 7. Description pod deterio ruine och en - unelteree -sttared Chocis one - moved serlbe she rooont and ertotnel (il tsowal mlryeleet espoarem summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8. Significance Perer summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance the resource to context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10.

Geographical Data nated preperty od fosttloatie 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The- dfloanoe of inie property within she - le: Bate Hietarte Presorvett en Officer etgnature 13. Other Maps _Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed Date. Phone: 202 272 - 3504 Comments for any Item may be continued on an attached sheet JACK YOUNG CO N AUTOMOTIVE I1 SUPPLIES APLAN U+ Photo #1 Harvard Avenue Fire Station 16 Harvard Avenue Boston, Massachusetts Photo credit: Frederic Detwiller 1/83 73 Canterbury Road Newton, Massachusetts View: Looking northerly, of facade and southeastern side elevation. MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Office of the Secretary of State 294 Washington Street Boston, Massachusetts 02108 617-727-8470 MICHAEL JOSEPH CONNOLLY Secretary of State February 24, 1983 Ms.

Carol Shull, Chief National Register of Historic Places National Park Service Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. 20243 Dear Ms. Shull: Enclosed you will find the following nomination forms: Boston - Harvard Avenue Fire Station (Local) Dedham - Ames School (Local) Needham - Amos Fuller House (Local) Newbury - Hale-Boynton House (Local) Northbridge - Rockdale Common Housing District (Local) Springfield - Upper Worthington Historic District (Local) Winchester - Town Hall (Local) All have been voted eligible by the State Review Board and have been signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer. Owners were notified of pending State Review Board consideration 30-75 days before the meeting and were afforded the opportunity to comment. Comments received to date are attached to the nomina- tion forms.

Sincerely, Candace lenkins Candace Jenkins Registration Director CJ/1k RECEIVED MAR ? NATIONAL REGISTER 1983